Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Morrison hot cross buns ultra-processed?

4 Bread rolls Sold in the United Kingdom

Pack of Morrison hot cross buns

Yes, it's ultra-processed

  1. 1 Unprocessed
  2. 2 Kitchen staple
  3. 3 Processed
  4. 4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

  • 46 ingredients
  • 12 additives
  • Nutri-Score B

Less processed bread rolls

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

Fortified wheat flour (wheat flour, calcium carbonate, iron, niacin, thiamin), Sultana, Water, Raisins, Yeast, Sugar, Mixed peel (Orange peel, Glucose-fructose syrup, Sucrose, Lemon peel, Acidity Regulator (Citric acid), Preservative), Icing sugar, Rapeseed oil, Wheat gluten, Emulsifiers (mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate, Sorbitan monostearate), Salt, Humectant (Glycerine), Dextrin, Palm oil, Flavouring, Acidity Regulators (Lactic acid, Citric acid), clove, preservative (Potassium sorbate), Flour Treatment Agent (Ascorbic acid), Stabiliser (Guar gum), Including cereals containing gluten, May contain other allergens, Prepared in an open kitchen so we cannot guarantee suitability for people with allergin

Additives: E1400 Dextrin , E202 Potassium sorbate , E220 Sulphur dioxide , E270 Lactic acid , E300 Ascorbic acid , E330 Citric acid , E412 Guar gum , E422 Glycerol , E471 Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids , E472e Mono- and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids , E481 Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate , E491 Sorbitan monostearate

As written on the pack

Fortified wheat flour ( wheat flour, calcium carbonate, iron, niacin, thiamin), Sultana, Water, Raisins, Yeast, Sugar, Mixed peel (Orange peel, Glucose-fructose syrup, Sucrose, Lemon peel, Acidity Regulator (Citric acid), Preservative ( Sulphur dioxide)), Icing sugar, Rapeseed oil, Wheat gluten, Emulsifiers (Mono - and diglycerides of fatty acids, Mono - and diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono - and diglycerides of fatty acids, Sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate, Sorbitan monostearate), Salt, Humectant (Glycerine), Dextrin, Palm oil, Flavouring, Acidity Regulators (Lactic acid, Citric acid), clove, preservative (Potassium sorbate), Flour Treatment Agent (Ascorbic acid), Stabiliser (Guar gum). ALLERGY ADVICE: For allergens, Including cereals containing gluten, see Ingredients in bold. May contain other allergens. Prepared in an open kitchen so we cannot guarantee suitability for people with allergin

What makes it ultra-processed

Cosmetic additives

Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.

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  • E491 Sorbitan monostearate Emulsifiers are substances which make it possible to form or maintain a homogenous mixture of two or more immiscible phases such as oil and water in a foodstuff.
  • Emulsifier Emulsifiers keep fat and water from separating, giving products a smooth, stable texture over a long shelf life.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.
  • Humectant Humectants are substances which prevent foods from drying out by counteracting the effect of an atmosphere having a low degree of humidity, or promote the dissolution of a powder in an aqueous medium.

Substances rarely used in home kitchens

Refined or extracted in factories, such as syrups made from starch or isolated proteins. The other hallmark of ultra-processed food.

  • Glucose Glucose, usually listed as glucose syrup, is cheap, keeps products moist and stops sugar from crystallising.
  • Gluten Wheat gluten, sold as "vital wheat gluten", is the protein washed out of wheat flour.
  • Fructose Fructose is the sugar found naturally in fruit and honey, but as an ingredient it is refined industrially, mostly from corn starch.
4 ingredients that would only make it processed

Kitchen staples like sugar, salt and oil. On their own they make a food processed, not ultra-processed.

  • E202 Potassium sorbate Preservatives are substances which prolong the shelf-life of foods by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms and/or which protect against growth of pathogenic micro-organisms.
  • Preservative Preservatives slow spoilage by microbes.
  • Salt Salt, added for taste and preservation.
  • Sugar Sugar refined from sugar cane or beet.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 63 bread rolls

From least to most processed, this one ranks 62nd. 79% of the bread rolls here are ultra-processed.

Ranked by NOVA group, then by the number of ultra-processing signs, additives and ingredients. Our ordering, not part of NOVA.

All 63 bread rolls, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0220016000850, last edited 27 March 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
  • Photo: Open Food Facts contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0.
  • The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of B (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.